Chapter One
by snoopy-pie
Summary: Response to a challenge at portkey. This is definately AU. Harry was sent away after OoTP to train and Hermione and Ron haven't seen him for over a year. Suddenly a Harry shows up during 7 th year and causes all kinds of trouble. Please rr HHr Forever!


Chapter One

Hermione quietly placed the quill down on her desk and sealed the parchment into a large yellow envelope. Hedwig ruffled her feathers before sticking her foot out for Hermione to attach the message. Hermione sighed when Hedwig gave her a shameful hoot before flying out the window into the cool night. The moon was high in the night's sky and the Head girl's new textbooks for her 7th year at Hogwarts lay forgotten inside a half packed trunk beside her bed. Her thoughts shifted, not for the first time that evening, to a raven haired young wizard with startling green eyes and she sighed heavily. The boy in question was known for many things. One of which was a lightening bolt scar etched across his forehead which most people connected with fame and heroism. None of those things were what she associated with him though. To her he was just her best friend whom she missed terribly. He was a skinny boy who had a terrible temper when provoked and a penchant for rule breaking. However, he was also kind, loyal and he was a good person. Very few people actually knew the real person underneath the legend and Hermione counted herself one of them. To her he was just Harry and that was enough for her. Or at least it had been before he left.

He probably won't be back to Hogwarts this year either she thought to herself sadly and her heart gave a slight jolt. She and Ron were surprised to say the least when Dumbledore informed them that Harry Potter would not be attending Hogwarts for his 6th year. In fact he had told them that there would be no contact whatsoever from Harry while he trained with magic well beyond what Hogwarts could ever offer. Hermione had been distraught and demanded to follow Harry to wherever he was, insisting that she and Ron could help. A small smile turned the corners of her mouth and she could still hear the Headmaster telling them, "Life is difficult Ms. Granger, especially for Harry. However, sometimes it leads us to places we didn't want to go until we got there. Harry has agreed to the…..arrangement and so must you and Mr. Weasley." Hermione had been in tears at this point and Dumbledore had not unkindly laid a gentle hand upon her shoulder. "Let him go Hermione. He will return to you and hopefully he will be better prepared for the next time he meets Voldemort." Hermione had taken his words to heart but from time to time she had looked to the stars hoping against hope that he needed her just a little.

It seemed so long ago when 6 frightened teenagers had entered the Department of Mysteries to try and save Sirius. A lot had happened since then and Hermione had changed just as much. Her hair was still brown and bushy but she had matured. Her body now held the soft curves of a young woman and her facial features had become softer, almost prettier. She had even caught the attention of a couple of boys much to her delight and found out what it was like to have a boyfriend. Many things had changed for the worse however. Now with their 7th year looming before them Voldemort had focused all his energy into bullying many good citizens into joining his regime. The good side was losing and there didn't seem to be a damn thing anyone could do about it.

Voldemort's war had taken its toll on the wizarding world so fully that hundreds of wizarding families had taken refuge in the once small village of Hogsmeade. Now with a large majority of the Hogwarts student body living in Hogsmeade the Hogwarts Express was expected to be filled mostly with muggle borns and those too brave or stubborn to leave their homes around muggle England.

Hermione as Head girl was expected to be present on the train to assist the students along with 2 aurors from the ministry for protection. It had taken a lot to keep the school open after the fiasco in the Ministry of Magic and there had been meetings, arguments, and conferences with concerned parents about the security of the school. Hogwarts had seemed like a ghost town during her 6th year and the old school's future had been very uncertain. However, this year with so many families living in close proximity to the castle the number of children returning to Hogwarts seemed to have increased.

Many had died in the last two years that she didn't even want to check the causality list at the new WCS (Wizard Community Services) building anymore. Everywhere she went were signs of Deatheaters or war. It made her sick to think of the hold Voldemort had on the growing community. Hermione had moved to a lovely little cottage in Hogsmeade over the summer leaving her parents in their new hidden home in France. Fleur had been an enormous help to her family with this and she knew she owed her a great deal of gratitude for their safety. The longer this war held on the worse things seemed to be for magic folk and muggles alike.

Hermione's gaze brushed over a small sturdy box that held a wand. _Should she take it with her? _She thought distractedly. Right before her 17th birthday she had received the wand in a beaten up and partially singed package and had opened it cautiously afraid of what she might find within. Fear had gripped her heart when she laid eyes upon that familiar piece of wood. Why did someone send her Harry's wand? Was he hurt? Was he dead? There were so many whys and so few answers. Dumbledore had only told her that Harry was fine and that if he had sent her his wand then he must have no need of it at the moment. Hermione nearly pulled her hair out from grief and worry over what had become of her best friend and all the headmaster would do was give her small tidbits of information with that insufferable little twinkle in his eye. She began writing to Harry faithfully every day because if Hedwig could carry something from him then she can surely carry things to him. Ron of course had vowed to write Harry as well, but as the weeks turned into months he soon lost interest and sheepishly informed Hermione that he was no letter writer.

Hermione on the other hand never once forgot to write him. In the beginning she begged for some sort of assurance that he was okay. She had even threatened to stop writing to him if he didn't tell her where he was right then and there. This was when Hedwig came to stay with her and she took this as a sign from Harry to keep writing. Soon she accepted the one sided aspect of their correspondence and had poured her heart into those letters, telling him more in one year than she had ever told anyone. She began to think of Harry as a sort of dream pen pal or diary not certain if he was even getting the letters she wrote. Hedwig kept taking them though, so she had to be delivering them somewhere. She wrote of boyfriends and homework as well as more important things that were happening in their world. She told him about Lupin and Tonks getting married and about Snape's betrayal to Dumbledore. She wrote about school and how she was so worried about their newt classes and if she would actually get into St. Mungos school for Healers. Sometimes she forgot that Harry was possibly reading her innermost thoughts and passions. It didn't seem to matter that her dreams and desires were being shared with someone she hadn't seen for nearly two years.

Hermione smiled gently to herself and lovingly touched the little box holding the beautifully carved wand that had once been roughly shoved up a troll's nose on her behalf. Using her own magic wand she whispered nostalgically, "Wingardium Leviosa" and the box gently floated through the air to land neatly beside her newest copy of "Hogwarts: A History" already packed into her trunk. "What do you use to do magic now Mr. Potter?" She whispered to herself.

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Dumbledore paced back and forth in front of his great fireplace glancing at his pocket watch once…….and then twice before he felt a familiar twinge of magic trying to get through the magical protections of the castle. Dumbledore smiled calmly and briefly lifted the anti apparition charm from his office allowing a slim young man with wild black hair to appear beside his desk with a loud crack. Dumbledore's smile quickly turned into one of joyous amusement as he turned toward the boy he once knew. However; it was no boy who stood before him now with smirking with a rebellious attitude that emanated off of him like smoke from a fire. He was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a black button up shirt which was carelessly unbuttoned to reveal a white t-shirt underneath. The only clue to the boy's identity was a bolt of lightening seemingly carved onto his brow. The young bloke seemed at ease despite the circumstances of his arrival and raised troubled green eyes to his mentor's twinkling ones. Albus gripped the boy's shoulders with his weakened hands and shook him slightly as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Without even being told Albus could feel the fire inside of him and wanted to say something but what could he say? He was no longer on a superior playing field with this boy and there was no need to pretend that he was the teacher of this magical being any longer.

"Thank you for coming Harry. I think this year we may need you more than ever."

Harry Potter had returned to once again be the savior of the wizarding world. He knew the reason for his return and he understood that the training he received was destined for one purpose, but it didn't make things any easier. "He raised fiery green eyes to look around Dumbledore's office and dropped the worn pack he had been carrying onto the floor with a loud plunk. Albus eyed Harry carefully with worried eyes, silently wondering about the quiet young man before him.

Harry grinned at how obvious Dumbledore was to him now. How did he ever think the man was unreadable? He could feel the worry and uncertainty churning inside him. "You needn't worry," Harry said indifferently as he picked up a small trinket from Dumbledore's desk. "The precious students of Hogwarts are safe from the likes of me."

"Harry, we must be cert—"

"I am in control of it." He stated candidly turning to look Albus in the eyes, and gave him a quiet laugh that neither inspired pleasure nor sadness. Dumbledore heaved a heavy sigh and nodded reluctantly. In that one moment he understood that Harry had changed from the boy he once was into something that no one could have ever expected. Dumbledore rejoiced that this boy might be able to save them, but a small part of him remembered the young Gryffindor as he used to be and he grieved for the loss.

"Welcome home Harry." Albus gave him a fatherly smile, but Harry merely turned his head away. Harry's heart hammered inside his chest and he swallowed the fear that had been haunting him since his departure over a year ago. Would Hermione and Ron still want to be his friend?

Chapter 2

Harry saw the Scarlet steam engine winding into the Hogsmeade station from one of the astronomy towers and his stomach lurched uncomfortably. The cool September day had grown colder as the day turned to evening and a slight drizzling rain pounded heavily upon the courtyard and gardens below. He could see Hagrid's hut below him giving the impression of a crouched giant resting lazily upon the grounds. Harry was instantly reminded of Grawp, and other memories regarding his last few days of his 5th year seemed to follow. They almost felt like a dream and he frowned. The weather didn't help his mood as he slowly descended the winding staircase hoping for a glimpse of the students as they entered the school. He stopped right before he reached the bottom to stand on the small landing facing the doors to the great hall and here he paused. His green eyes shimmered with a low flame as he waited for the inevitable to happen. He had already decided to forego the feast and he was already settled into his room. All he wanted to do was see his friends. Just a glance was all he needed for now to assure himself that they did exist. He had spent so many nights in the beginning wondering if they had all been a dream. He would have plenty of time to explain things later he had reasoned. Suddenly his heart tumbled nervously inside his chest as the door to Hogwarts opened and a crowd of children stumbled into the foyer laughing and chatting happily. Some complained of the weather while others simply used their wand to siphon off their sodden clothes.

One young girl wearing a prefect badge glanced up toward the staircase and saw Harry sitting there. She smiled tentatively at him before nervously rushing a couple of 2nd years fearfully toward the great hall. Harry shifted his black cloak more snuggly around himself and cursed for not using his invisibility cloak. As more and more students noticed him however a small hum of excitement began growing and soon most everyone knew of the tall dark stranger sitting menacingly upon the stairs.

Hermione directed a group of Hufflepuffs toward the Great Hall before she heard a familiar voice. Whipping around she saw her best friend grinning broadly at her with his shaggy red hair hanging over his eyes. "Oi, Hermione do you see that bloke sitting up there on the landing?"

Hermione looked up to see a thin creepy looking person hiding behind a black cloak which hung drearily from his shoulders. She narrowed her eyes and turned back to Ron. "Who do you think he is?"

"I don't know but I heard some Ravenclaw Prefects saying that a vampire was here." His voice was apprehensive when he returned his eyes back to Hermione's and whispered, "Do you think he is a Vampire?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course he isn't." Hermione shook her head and chanced another look at the lone figure. "Dumbledore would know better than to allow a vampire loose in the school. People are just being paranoid." Hermione shivered a little and couldn't shake the feeling that the stranger was staring at her.

Ron nodded agreeably, "Well, yeah but…he did let in a werewolf didn't he?" Ron swallowed uneasily before pulling his cloak up a little higher around his neck. Hermione humphed and to prove her point held her head high exposing the soft contours of her neckline.

"One of these days Hermione, I'm going to be right and I just want to be there when it happens." Ron paused and stared importantly out into space.

Hermione snorted, "Honestly Ron, you would have to be there if you were the one who was right now wouldn't you? Anyway, I don't think he is a vampire." She looked up the stairs and as she watched she felt drawn to the familiar form and she wandered what business he had at Hogwarts. Shaking her head she leaned back toward Ron and whispered, "He seems mysterious but I think it is that cloak that makes him look so……..intimidating."

Ron nodded but still averted his eyes from the landing. "Let's go will ya? He gives me the willies". Hermione sighed and quickly followed her best friend before giving one last glance toward the landing that was now standing empty. In a wave of sudden panic she wished desperately that Harry was with them this year. She frowned before hurrying along after Ron who held the door open for her.


End file.
